Monday, February 22, 2016

5 Questions You Have to Ask Before Taking a New Job

In the past couple of weeks, several friends of mine have asked me whether or not they should seek out a new job. Several new positions opened up during some organizational change, causing many more than usual to consider a change of pace.

But my friends are not alone. According to CareerBuilder statistics from 2015, three out of every four workers consider themselves open to new job opportunities if they aren't already actively seeking employment.

How do you know when you should jump to a new career, though? What questions can you ask to make sure that you are headed down the right path?

Tuesday, February 16, 2016

Vote With Your Feet

So Presidents' Day yesterday celebrated all of those whom we have elected here in the United States to lead our nation. It also was the date of the Grammy awards and countless mattress sales across the country. Why mattresses?

Anyway, when thinking about topics to write about this week, I remembered a phrase from an old boss of mine: "You vote with your feet." I have a quote up in my office with a similar message from Gandhi: "Action expresses priorities."

Monday, February 8, 2016

Super Bowl Takeaways

So the Super Bowl ended in a way that no one predicted before the game, with a Denver victory. The betting line on the game favored Carolina by 5.5 points, and yet they lost by more than that. You could make it a sob story about the 17-2 Carolina team who had their hearts ripped out, or you could make it a survival story about the Denver Broncos, a poetic 200th win for Peyton Manning, or whatever positive spin from a different perspective. Here are a few things you can take away from the game and apply in your world, whatever it may be.

Tuesday, February 2, 2016

Groundhog Day (or How Infinity Defines Your Priorities Today)

Decided to throw an extra post in here this week for Groundhog Day, one of my favorite "holidays" of sorts. I am unclear whether or not my delight with the February 2 stems from some rodent-mysticism-fascination from my childhood or simply developed as an eccentricity following the amazing Bill Murray movie (which my wife dislikes, though I forgive her).

If you are interested in the magical woodchuck lore, then I recommend you immediately go visit Punxsutawney Phil's site this morning to see what he predicted from his home at Gobbler's Knob. I tend to read Phil's proclamation to my kids during breakfast.

This post will focus more on the concepts in Groundhog Day, the 1993 Bill Murray classic, though. If you have never seen it, go watch it. I'll still be here a couple of hours from now when you are done. No, seriously, go watch it. Some channel will be playing it today. OK, if you are still reading, then I assume you have seen it by now, so beware the spoilers.

Monday, February 1, 2016

Making the Most of Business Travel

Once upon a time, or so I hear, people considered business travel a perk of certain jobs. Most people I know now, though, consider it a chore or just a necessity. Maybe the global nature of business has increased the frequency of travel for some.

Certainly industry changes towards service and consulting in areas has created a need. Combining an increased frequency with increased cost-cutting on the parts of airlines and others has put a damper on the experience. Still, if you approach it with the right attitude, travel can be not just a necessary part of business but an enjoyable one.